A dental implant is the only way to replace a lost tooth that also replaces its root, so it looks, feels and works like the tooth you had. At Bellevue Dental on Wandsworth Common, every implant is planned from a 3D CBCT scan and placed by our Clinical Director, Dr Adam White, in a practice that already knows you.
Book an implant consultationSee the step-by-stepA dental implant has three components. A small titanium post is placed in the jawbone, where it fuses with the surrounding bone over several months. An abutment connects that post to the surface of the gum. A custom-made crown sits on top, shaped and coloured to match your natural teeth. Once integrated, the implant works exactly like the tooth it replaces: you bite normally, clean it like any other tooth, and largely forget it is there.
That bone fusion is what sets implants apart. The post behaves like a natural root, stimulating the jawbone and preventing the bone loss that follows an extraction. It is also why treatment takes months rather than weeks, and why the planning stage matters so much.
Enough bone to anchor the implant, healthy gums free from active gum disease, no uncontrolled medical conditions that would slow healing, and ideally a non-smoker or someone willing to cut down significantly during treatment. Each of these directly affects whether the bone fuses reliably to the implant.
It rarely rules implants out. Bone grafting and sinus lifts exist to rebuild bone where it has been lost. The only reliable way to know is a CBCT scan at your assessment, which shows bone volume, nerve positions and available space in 3D. A surface examination cannot tell us this.
The full process usually takes three to nine months from start to finish, depending on complexity. Most of that is healing time rather than appointments. Here is what happens at each stage.
Your first visit covers your dental and medical history, an examination of your teeth and gums, and a CBCT scan taken here at the practice. The scan gives the implant team precise data: bone volume at the site, the position of nerves and sinuses, and the ideal angle and depth for placement.
A written plan is drawn up from your own scan rather than a generic protocol, with the exact fee, the number of visits and the timeline. If grafting, extractions or a sinus lift are needed first, they are built into the plan. Planning usually takes one to three weeks.
Placing a single implant typically takes one to two hours under local anaesthetic. You will feel pressure and movement, not pain. IV sedation with our in-house sedationist is available if you are anxious. The gum heals within one to two weeks.
Over three to six months the jawbone gradually fuses to the titanium surface, a process called osseointegration. It cannot be rushed, and it is the foundation that lets an implant last for decades. A temporary tooth can be provided where appearance matters in the meantime.
Once integration is confirmed, the abutment is fitted and a digital scan is taken for your crown. Crowns are designed and made in-house, so the final fitting is quick and any adjustments happen on the day. Then you simply use it.
A two-dimensional X-ray cannot show how much bone you have, how thick it is, or exactly where the nerve runs in the lower jaw and the sinus sits in the upper. Implant placement is a precise surgical procedure, and guessing at any of those is not acceptable to us.
Our in-house CBCT scanner produces a full 3D map of the jaw in seconds, at a low radiation dose. From it we plan the implant position digitally before surgery, choose the right implant size, and know in advance whether grafting is needed. It also means no referral to a separate imaging centre and no delay: we scan, plan and quote at the same visit.
Our Clinical Director leads every implant assessment, drawing on your bone structure, dental history and what you want from the result to build a plan that fits your actual situation, which occasionally means recommending against implants altogether.
Dr Adam White also carries out the surgical placement and fits the final crown, so the clinician who planned your implant from the scan is the one who places it and sees it through. No hand-offs between departments, and no repeating your story to someone new at each stage.
An implant is the only option that replaces the root as well as the visible tooth. That is why it costs more upfront, and why it typically lasts decades rather than years. But it is not the right answer for everyone, and we will tell you if it isn't.
Anchors into the bone and preserves it. Leaves the neighbouring teeth completely untouched. Cleaned like a natural tooth and as stable as one. The post often lasts a lifetime; the crown may need replacing after 10 to 15 years.
Faster and cheaper upfront. Fills the gap by crowning the two teeth either side and suspending a false tooth between them, which means permanently reshaping two healthy teeth. Does nothing to stop bone loss beneath the gap.
The most affordable route and can replace several teeth at once. Sits on the gum rather than in the bone, so it can move, and over time it accelerates bone loss in the jaw. Sometimes the right call where surgery isn't advisable.
Implant treatment is a significant investment, so we are clear about it from the start. The figures here are guide fees. Every plan is bespoke and personal to you: after your assessment and scan you receive a written plan with the exact cost of every stage, including any grafting or extractions, before anything begins.
Spreading the cost is straightforward. Finance is available through Tabeo, including 0% options over 12 months, and our team can walk you through a full breakdown before you commit. See all our guide fees.
Placement is done under local anaesthetic, so you feel pressure and movement but not pain. Some soreness and mild swelling afterwards is normal; it usually peaks in the first 24 to 48 hours and settles within three to five days, managed with ordinary over-the-counter pain relief. Most patients tell us it was far less uncomfortable than they expected. If you are anxious, IV sedation with our in-house sedationist Damien Reilly is available.
With good oral hygiene and regular check-ups, implants routinely last 15 to 25 years, and the post itself often lasts a lifetime. The crown may need replacing after 10 to 15 years, which is a simple procedure that does not disturb the integrated post. Success rates in UK clinical studies sit at around 95 to 98%.
Smoking is the single biggest risk factor for implant failure, followed by poor oral hygiene and uncontrolled diabetes. The aftercare we recommend, twice-daily cleaning and regular hygiene visits, is what protects the investment you have made.
Typically three to nine months from assessment to final crown. Planning takes one to three weeks, the gum heals within a fortnight of surgery, and the bone takes three to six months to fuse to the implant. Cases needing bone grafting sit at the longer end.
Often, yes. Bone grafting and sinus lifts rebuild bone volume where it has been lost, extending eligibility to patients who would otherwise be unsuitable. Your CBCT scan tells us exactly what is there and whether grafting is needed; where bone loss is severe and grafting is not an option, we will say so and recommend a bridge or a well-fitted denture instead.
Not if it would show. A temporary tooth can be provided for the healing period, and in some straightforward cases a same-day provisional restoration is possible. Ask at your assessment whether that applies to you.
Four things: who places the implants and what their training and experience are; whether CBCT scanning is done in-house or referred out; what the aftercare protocol includes; and how complications are handled if they arise. A well-run practice answers all four without hesitation. Ours are: Dr Adam White, our Clinical Director, who plans and places every implant himself; in-house; a written aftercare plan with review appointments; and directly, by the clinician who treated you.
Start with a no-pressure implant consultation. You will leave knowing whether implants are right for you, what the plan would look like and exactly what it would cost.
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